Standing wave electron beam accelerators have found wide usage in medical accelerators where the energy electron beam is employed to generate x-rays for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes. Electron beams generated by an electron beam accelerator can also be used directly or indirectly to kill infectious agents and pests, to sterilize objects, to change physical properties of objects, and to perform testing and inspection of objects, such as containers, containers storing radioactive material, and concrete structures.
However, in existing systems, microwave or radio-frequency (RF) power provided by a power generator to an accelerator may be reflected back to the power generator. This condition occurs when the frequency of the power does not match the resonance frequency of the accelerator. Sometimes, the combined effect of the generated power and the reflected power may cause the power generator and the waveguide components to arc. Arc (or arcing) is a condition characterized by having electric field that is so high that gas becomes ionized in an electric field to form a conductive path. In accelerator systems, arcing is not desirable because it may cause a break down at the power generator and waveguide components, and may cause an instability in the operation of the accelerator. Thus, Applicant of the subject application determines that it may be desirable to protect the power generator and waveguide components from arcing, and to prevent or at least reduce an effect of arcing.